Tag Archives: skag

I’m sure we’ve all been out rowing and the cox has accidentally ran over a log and before you have time to stop the log has broke your skeg.

The first skeg is for the newer shells, and the second skeg is for the older eights

Plumber's Putty to use for skeg repairsSkeg with plumber's putty

To replace the skeg you’ll need:

1. New skeg/fin $33
2. Plumber’s Putty ~$8
3. Clean hull

For a new skeg/fin you can order one online from www.vespoli.com. Make sure you order the right one. If your eight is a pre-1990 boat you’ll need to order the fin without the cut-out for the rudder otherwise get the fin with the cut-out. Vespoli recently created a new skeg called a practice fin / skeg that is yellow and breaks away more easily and might save you from having to repair the honeycomb and the carbon fiber. Plumber’s Putty you can pick up at home depot or any other hardware store. Before applying the putty clean your hull before hand so that the putty can bond well to the boat and to the fin.

First open the putty. Apply the putty in a cone shape on the brass studs about 1/2 inch up from the fin with the base of the cone where the brass meets the plastic. Place the fin on the boat making sure the straight side is towards the rudder. Press it firmly down all the way. Now open the stern hatch and reach up and put the two wing nuts on the brass studs and turn the wing nuts until the fin is secured to the boat. You’ve now replaced your skeg!

Fix your rowing shell rudder
If you also lost your rudder you can easily fix it by unscrewing the bolt on the deck side of the shell and pulling the rudder from the bottom of the shell. Then just place a new rudder down the tube and reattach the steering yoke to the rudder. As you tighten the nut down on the yoke be sure to have the rudder straight and the steering string straight. You may want to hold onto the rudder so it doesn’t turn as you tighten the nut.

I hope this helps you the next time you lose your skeg or rudder and you need to know how to fix it.